


You shouldn't kiss your teammates (unless you mean it)

by RebeccaAnabelBurrows



Category: DCU, Justice League - All Media Types
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Author doesn't know them, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Post-Suicide Mission, What are tags ?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2019-10-21
Packaged: 2020-12-27 23:34:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21127091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebeccaAnabelBurrows/pseuds/RebeccaAnabelBurrows
Summary: Hal is back on Earth after a dangerous mission for the Green Lanterns.Unfortunately, he has some explaining to do for kissing Bruce before going to space.





	You shouldn't kiss your teammates (unless you mean it)

Contrary to what he had said to Barry, Hal wasn't eager to see Bruce's face at all.

Sure, he was back on Earth and it felt good. It was nice seeing Barry again and they had a whole football season to watch if his best friend had waited for him - he usually did, Hal's running commentary was something you didn't want to miss. 

Hal was excited about being Jessica's instructor and teaching her how the ring worked. She seemed full of potential and he would make sure she became one of the best Green Lanterns the world had known.

He could grab coffee with Diana someday and ask Clark how the Daily Planet was doing or something. No problem.  
Arthur could give him updates on life in Atlantis and on Mera.  
Victor would ask him about his time in space, no doubt. Hal would ask the team's secrets in exchange. Vic would refuse and Hal would tell his friend about the rise and fall of alien empires.

Bruce ? Hal didn't feel like looking him in the eye. 

Hal had been trained for diplomatic gigs with aliens but couldn't figure out what to say when the two of them met next. 

The easiest solution would be to do like nothing had happened. Strictly speaking, not much had happened if you asked Hal. The thing was, the Green Lantern wasn't sure Bruce would let it go that easily. 

Well then, they would talk. Great. It won't be weird at all, admitting to unrequited feelings towards his teammate and promising they would go away and not compromise their missions. 

Hal's preference went to avoiding Bruce. Taking his distances. It'll work. Burying your feelings was an approved coping mechanism in this team.  
He just had to be careful to not act bitter in face of Superman and Wonder Woman's burgeoning romance. Play it cool. Not like a jealous wanker. After all, he was pleased for his friends, wasn't he ?

He sighed and opened his flat's door. He kicked his shoes and threw the keys on the table.  
A shadow moved. Hal activated the ring.

What Hal didn't think about was that Bruce will seek him out. Well, not Bruce, Batman. 

"How - okay. How about knocking, next time ?" Hal sighed.

"Not really discreet."

The Green Lantern shrugged and took off his jacket, trying to shake off the awkwardness. He'd never felt this uncomfortable in his own home before.

"With this suit ? Sure. Put on jeans and a t-shirt and nobody will look at you twice. Can you at least drop the cowl if you're not here for League's business ? I feel underdressed." he said, crossing his arms on his chest.

Surprisingly, Bruce complied. Hal tried not to lose himself in his eyes and elected to change rooms to collect himself.

"So, what are you here for ?" he asked from the kitchen, before coming back with two beers from the fridge.

"I wanted to talk."

Hal froze like a deer caught in a car's headlights.  
They were the exact same words Carol had uttered before they put an end to their romantic relationship.

Well, he was still friends with her. And it wasn't like Bruce and him dated or something. At worst, the Dark Knight would try to kick him out of the League. Crap.

Hal blinked at the realisation.

"Just a second. I forgot the bottle-opener." he said, backing away robotically to the other room.

Barry wouldn't let him, Hal was sure of it. And he could count on Vic's support. Maybe Arthur's. But what if Bruce convinced Diana and Clark ?  
Hell. 

"Hal ?" 

The young man snapped back a bit abruptly. Bruce was at the kitchen's door, looking concerned.

"We can have this conversation at a later time if you feel unwell."

Hal took a shaky breath. Bruce was giving him an out. It would be idiotic not to seize such an opportunity.

"I am good. What was I looking for ?"

Hal might be an idiot, but he wasn't a coward. Not totally. Just enough to delay a conversation that was bound to happen.

He almost jumped when he realised Bruce had moved closed.

"Does it really matter ?"

His voice was gentle. Not Batman the tough guy at all. It wasn't the saccharine voice of the dumb but charming Bruce Wayne ever. Just Bruce's, the concerned friend.

"I guess not. We're - we're fine, right ?"

Hal had crossed his arms on his chest again, unthinkingly.

"Why wouldn't we be ?" 

Hal was tired of mind games. Bruce would always get the upper hand with words. However, Hal was better at being honest.

"Okay, stop. Enough beating about the bush for now. Is it about the last time we saw each other ?"

Bruce looked unsure for a brief second. It would have been amusing if Hal wasn't so nervous.

"Yes." 

Good. The conversation was moving forward. Hopefully they could get over this quickly. Hal couldn't tell if he felt relieved or oddly disappointed.

"Does it mean we have to talk about it ?" he said carefully. 

Hal planned to be honest, but self-preservation was instinctive and he was starting to rethink his decision.

"Do you want to talk about it ?"

Hal bit his lip sharply. He hated it when his teammate avoided his questions and put him in a situation of vulnerability like that. 

"Honestly ? I don't need a two hours lecture on how wrong it was on an infinite number of levels."

Hal was angry at Bruce for nagging him and at himself for letting it affect him.

"I wasn't -"

The Dark Knight shut up when Hal glared at him.

"You were." 

"Maybe. But I also wanted to know what it meant to you."

Hal's anger was cooling down. He closed his eyes. 

"There are answers you might not be ready for. I'd tell you, but please remember you were the one to ask."

That was it. The moment of truth. Hal knew that Bruce wouldn't back away.

"I'm all ears." the latter said. 

Hal distanced himself from his teammate a bit more. He needed the space to talk more freely.

"Great. So, you were wondering why I kissed you at the Watchtower. The thing is, I don't really know."

Bruce rolled his eyes in an unimpressed way. His partner tried not to smirk - he had missed Bruce's eyerolls.

"Hal."

The younger man scratched his neck and tried to remember he had nothing to be embarrassed about. 

"I mean, there are several possibilities. I couldn't find you right after our last mission so I was relieved to see you were okay. Plus, you wouldn't shut up about how A.R.G.U.S or the media or whoever were going to have our heads and I really didn't want to hear about it at the time -"

Bruce cut him.

"You're rambling."

Such poor manners. Poor Alfred would be appalled if he could see his protege at this time.

"Let me do this my way, thank you. Where was I ? Oh yes, why. Well, I sure as hell wanted you to shut up. But maybe it was a leftover of the adrenaline rush from the mission."

There was a silence. It stretched uncomfortably, to the point Bruce felt compelled to open his mouth again.

"Is there something you're not telling me ?"

Hal groaned. He wouldn't have minded a bit more time.

"You won't spare me anything, right ? It might have been a bit of all that. The main reason was that I was scared, though. I had just received my Green Lantern's orders for my next mission. I knew it would be a close call. Either way. I wasn't sure I'd make it back. I needed some reassurance."

Somehow Bruce had moved to his side, leaning on the counter. 

"Was it a farewell gift ?" he asked.

His voice sounded harsh. Hal shrugged.

"I guess ? I didn't really stop to think about it, I had to leave."

Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose.

"And you didn't think to tell your team ?"

Hal threw his hands in the air.

"It was my choice to make. And look who's talking - how many times have you put your life in the line for Gotham ?" 

Bruce was pacing in the kitchen now and Hal felt a headache coming.

"I wasn't going to stop you. I want to know why you didn't trust us."

Hal rubbed his temples.

"This isn't about the team, is it ?"

He was more insightful than people gave him credit for. 

Bruce didn't reward him with an answer. 

"What difference me telling you about it would have made ? You would have a suit made in the event of my untimely death ?"

The joke fell flat and Hal kind of felt like an ass.

"Sorry about that. At the Watchtower, I just wanted someone to care if things went wrong - and I wanted them to be you. The thing is I have feelings for you, I had for a while and you're not making this easier in the least."

Bruce looked stunned. He didn't react visibly for some time.

"Fuck. I'll have to tell Superman I broke his best buddy. May Diana have pity and tell him instead. I like living on this planet."

Hal shook his head in self-depreciation and shook a hand in front of a frozen Bruce. The other man blinked.

"Didn't think it'll be that much of a shock. I understand if I am not your type but you aren't exactly ugly and I did kiss you." Hal pointed out, slightly annoyed.

"Would you be adverse to dating me ?"

Hal was certain something was off with his hearing. The other man was less than a meter away but he just couldn't have said that.

"Come again ?" Hal asked, bracing himself for anything.

Bruce went closer. He often did that when he tried to make a point.

"We share feelings of the same nature. I thought reasonable to assume you might be interested in a romantic relationship."

Hal looked at him in awe.

"We share feelings ? Since when ? I missed the memo."

Bruce shrugged. Their shoulders brushed.

"I sent it when you were away on your suicide mission."

Hal could tell this conversation wasn't over. However, there were other matters at hand.

"It wasn't - let's argue about it later. We've done enough arguing for today."

As he was saying this, he was closing the distance between him and Bruce. The other man nodded, his eyes dark.

"Right. Let's start with the kissing."

There wasn't more arguing for some time.


End file.
